If you are not afraid - go for it! I have to say I was and still am very happy I made my decision very clear. I have been able to post pics of me and use my real name.
No need to be afraid of men.
LouBelle
JoinedPosts by LouBelle
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19
not sure if i should but i want to, what do you think?
by unstopableravens inim not dfed yet, i told the elders for a long long time the wt is not gods org, i told them what i believed ,jesus being god, born again, yadda yadda yadda, i have not gone to a jw meeting in a long time, i go to church etc.. but what i feel would be a great relief and really help me be free is to come out on here with a pic and not hide behind unstopableravens username, im not sure if its a good idea or not..
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20
I am free
by new hope and happiness inyes the title of my first post was a little negative " shatterd faith" and the truth is i dont feel like that at all.. its wonderful being in a state of not knowing as it makes hope possible.
and what i now learn i will learn from within and also enjoy doubt.. so why do i call this post " i am free"?
because i will no longer allow a tiny few control the direction of my life.
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LouBelle
Hey new hope & happiness - AWESOME! You don't need people like the GB who know absolutely nothing about serving you up spiritual slosh that you have to slurp down. Those days are done. You are a person that can think and reason for yourself now. You can choose what you want to read and I totally encourage you to do that - embrace new experiences (I've been on budhist retreats and had the time of my life, or gone to a hindu temple and to a happy clappy church - I do not believe what they do but am happy to just experience it for experience sake)
Yes you don't know everything, you don't need too. When you read something and it reasonates within, you take it and you use - let that be your guide.
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LouBelle
to fork or not to fork.
you make like to use your fingers.
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15
Atheists / Agnostics: do any of you still enjoy going to church/mosque/synagogue?
by free @ last ini'm in awe of sacred spaces.
love stained glass rose windows and gothic architecture.
i like coral music (who knew).
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LouBelle
I enjoy visiting those places, more for interest than anything else. In the old churches, yes, love the stained glass! I love the quiet. Those places can be great for thinking, reflection, just a good atmosphere.
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JW family made contact....
by LouBelle in.....after 8 years of us being disfellowshipped.
the made contact through my aunt who is still 'in' - as in she has faded but is not disfellowshipped and will pop to a meeting now and again - she does this for my grans' sake.. the contact was from my aunt and uncle (he's an elder) these were the 2 witnesses used against me in my judicial case.
they contacted my aunt and said to forward the message onto us.
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LouBelle
Sharon (my aunt) seems to be getting to my mother emotionally. I have had to take a very hard stand with my mother and really tell her the ugly truth. They don't care about my mother, they cast her aside like she was shit beneath their shoes. Phylis (my gran) handed over the watchtower I showed her years ago to Mike and Jenny (my aunt and uncle) and together they were the witnesses that judged me at my judicial hearing. They servered the family ties then. They merely want to use us and nothing more. I have had to be VERY blunt with my mother.
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Advice please - How dating works in world?
by ekruks inlooking for your advice.
i was born in 'the truth', homeschooled, washed windows for work, etc.. im rather ignorant of how the whole dating thing works.. .
i'm sure i'm not the only person on here who grew up 'in the truth' and is/was a virgin in their late 20s, never been to a nightclub, etc., while everyone around them has a family/kids.
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LouBelle
Ekruks - yes meeting people in todays' world is tough. I have a very small office and no one here vaguley interests me. There are really nice chaps on here - but too far away. I do go out to nightclubs...but they happen to be mostly gay nightclubs (I have a lot of gay friends and as their fag hag go along and shake my bombom) soooooooooooooooo....what does a girl do? I have signed up to a dating site - OMG! I have seen so many penises or should that be peni? Everyone is looking for NSAS (no strings attached sex) so that would be one night stands, casual, F buddies, threesomes, swinger parties. Oh and they promise you the most mind blowing, body quivery orgasms.....now I'm no prude but I'm not really looking for that. Sure I want to go out and have fun, but I want to talk to you, share a coffee, a meal...and progress to the kissing, touching, feeling and then explosions.
So I remain single....oh and because I'm a big girl - always trying to lose weight - no one is interested in me. *shrug* What to do.
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JW family made contact....
by LouBelle in.....after 8 years of us being disfellowshipped.
the made contact through my aunt who is still 'in' - as in she has faded but is not disfellowshipped and will pop to a meeting now and again - she does this for my grans' sake.. the contact was from my aunt and uncle (he's an elder) these were the 2 witnesses used against me in my judicial case.
they contacted my aunt and said to forward the message onto us.
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LouBelle
Thank you again everyone - I have spoken with my mother - She has said she definitely doesn't want to meet with them and after reading your comments here, I agree. I owe them absolutely nothing, not even my presence. I have forwarded an amended letter to my mother, who will then send it onto 'my grans' accepted family.
As for giving money - I can't - it is that simple. And even if I could - I wouldn't. They are strangers to me and I am dead to them.
I am only just getting right myself and have been on a hellofa journey and with much encouragement from this board went on got medical help. 10 days on, I am feeling a bit better. The darkness is clearing. I know I have a long way to go with this and have to still take one day at a time. This is family, this is love, and though I may not have met you, I am closer to you than to those people.
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75
JW family made contact....
by LouBelle in.....after 8 years of us being disfellowshipped.
the made contact through my aunt who is still 'in' - as in she has faded but is not disfellowshipped and will pop to a meeting now and again - she does this for my grans' sake.. the contact was from my aunt and uncle (he's an elder) these were the 2 witnesses used against me in my judicial case.
they contacted my aunt and said to forward the message onto us.
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LouBelle
This is what I have to say to them when we meet, taken from bits and pieces that I have gathered from here:
'''What I have to say does not come from a place of emotion, bitterness or anger. It is based on facts and solutions. For the past 8 years Debi & I have been strictly shunned, we have been given labels, and under the law that the WTBTS cites, disfellowshipping offences were carried out with the death penality. Thus by this reasoning we are dead, and you cannot ask the dead for anything, unless money has a way of buying back gods' favour, which I highly doubt.
I do offer logical solutions that her spiritually alive family, brothers & sisters and congregation can consider 1) If she has trouble climbing the steps to her current flat, move her down to the first floor. Everyone can contribute a small amount of money so that she can receive ready made meals. 2) if you insist on moving her into the all inclusive facility, I suggest you look to yourselves - her spiritually alive daughter, grandchildren and son in law and raise the money - perhaps the congregational elders could help. 3) One of you open up a room in your home - this will elivate her loneliness and the cost of the home. Here you will be able to fulfill the scripture you quoted in it's fullest capacity and be bless by your god. As for Debi and I - we will continue to be dead to you.'''
Those are my 2 little paragraphs.
I had a long conversation with my aunt last night - she doesn't really understand why I am so cut off from those family members. I tried to explain that when the cutting off is as quick as it was with me, you go through and process a range of emotions quite quickly (well I did) I got to make my peace with my decision - because I knew what I would have to give up and I was happy with that. I have learnt that just because people may share your blood and be related to you doesn't make them family at all. Family is deeper than that. I have friends that I consider much closer to me than those JW family members will ever be. I don't want conditional love, I don't want conditional acceptance. If you want me in your life, you accept all of what I am - flaws/ beliefs/ good/ bad, just as I would accept you.
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JW family made contact....
by LouBelle in.....after 8 years of us being disfellowshipped.
the made contact through my aunt who is still 'in' - as in she has faded but is not disfellowshipped and will pop to a meeting now and again - she does this for my grans' sake.. the contact was from my aunt and uncle (he's an elder) these were the 2 witnesses used against me in my judicial case.
they contacted my aunt and said to forward the message onto us.
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LouBelle
Thanks again for your comfort, support and understanding. I am so appreciative of the friends here that truly do care.
They want to meet ''for coffee'' to discuss the matter in person - as my aunt told them they need too do this kind of thing face to face. My mother will probably not go. I will. I will support my aunt as they will try bleed her as much as they can of her finances (she has a family of 5 adults to take care of)
They will look in my eyes as I tell them that they cannot guilt me with their scriptures, and that I can turn that around on them. I am not interested in their conditions. I am not a believer. I will offer them the practical solution to move my gran Phyllis in with them as mentioned. That will elivate her lonliness, the cost and they have the opportunity to enjoy their spirituallity together as a family unit ( my aunt and uncles two children also stay in the same block of flats - my uncle is the caretaker there - so yes - he and her accepted grandchildren can help out)
I'm feeling stronger guys.
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JW family made contact....
by LouBelle in.....after 8 years of us being disfellowshipped.
the made contact through my aunt who is still 'in' - as in she has faded but is not disfellowshipped and will pop to a meeting now and again - she does this for my grans' sake.. the contact was from my aunt and uncle (he's an elder) these were the 2 witnesses used against me in my judicial case.
they contacted my aunt and said to forward the message onto us.
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LouBelle
Don't feel guilty at all about our decision. I'm not their to be used. I'm done with those days. I look after my family and friends that love and accept me unconditionally.
Blondie - thanks for that citation - I may just send that along if we get any other scriptual advice from them.
LouBelle - done with the guilt of the JW's!